I like audacity for basic 1-track recording - just click the record to start recording then the stop button to stop then the play button to listen. If it sucks, start over. The only effect I used was amplify to gain up my track a bit. That was straightforward: click then slide over the segment to gain then goto menu effect->amplify.

I have not used the reverb much but it is the same as all the other effects - select a range and goto menu->reverb.

There are other effects as well.

I like audacity. But if I was mixing tracks and doing serious effects, perhaps I would like something more.